1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to fishing equipment. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for organizing and storing fishing tackle and other accessories and for providing an in boat fish cleaning facility.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
One of the most popular sports activity for persons of all ages is fishing. One problem which is shared by most anglers is the storage of fishing tackle and other accessories.
The most common device used for storing fishing tackle and supplies is a tackle box, which contains various compartments for storing hooks, sinkers and other fishing tackle and supplies. While a tackle box is an extremely useful and necessary part of most anglers' fishing equipment, it can also be a source of frustration. When the angler is fishing from a boat, the tackle box is normally placed either on a seat or at the bottom of the boat. It is not at all uncommon for an angler to knock over the tackle box while it is open and spill the contents into the bottom of the boat.
In addition, a tackle box does not provide a particularly convenient type of storage for some types of fishing lures, such as spinners and snells. These devices usually consist of a short flexible fishing line (normally about three to four feet in length) which has a hook at one end and an attachment loop at the opposite end. A spinner also includes a spoon, blade or set of wings mounted on the short line to spin or revolve as the device is drawn through the water. The spinner or snell is attached by the attachment loop to the end of the main fishing line. A devoted angler will often have numerous snells and spinners of different lengths, different hook sizes and different colored spoons or beads on the short line for use in different fishing conditions.
Because of their length, spinners and snells cannot conveniently be stored in a tackle box unless they are wound into a loop. This can often result in knots or kinks in the short line, or in several spinners or snells becoming tangled with one another.
There has been a continuing need for an improved device for storing snells and spinners in an organized fashion which eliminates the danger of the spinners or snells becoming lost or damaged. In particular, there is continuing need for a device which provides a visible and orderly display of spinners and snells of different lengths, so that the angler can easily remove and replace the spinners or snells as needed.